Content warning: This article includes discussion of suicide.
StandBy Support After Suicide (Standby) is Australia’s leading suicide postvention program. A program of Youturn, it provides free support to people and communities bereaved or impacted by suicide. Community service organisation Social Futures, delivers the StandBy program in several regions, including:
When a person died by suicide at a correctional centre in the Hunter region last year, Social Futures’ StandBy team was called in to support staff and inmates impacted by the death.
StandBy Program Coordinator Sarah, along with colleague Tess, delivered in-person tailored group and individual support sessions at the correctional centre in the days, weeks, and months following.
Sarah said suicide grief can reach far beyond a person’s immediate circle.
“No one is immune from feeling the impact of suicide,” she said.
“It doesn’t matter what the relationship was, there may not be one. If you feel impacted, that’s ok.”
“A death like this can also unexpectedly reawaken past trauma, blindsiding someone who may otherwise have been feeling on top of things.”
The death had affected people in different ways, including staff who were directly involved in the response, those who heard events unfold over radio communications, and inmates who knew the person or were reminded of other traumatic losses.
The correctional environment adds layers of complexity for inmates experiencing trauma.
Sarah said inmates don’t always have access to the supports many people often rely on following a traumatic death, such as being with family, or calling a close friend.
“For inmates there are extra challenges,” Sarah said.
“They can’t turn to a cellmate and say, ‘can you give me a hug, I need some support today because I’m not coping’.”
On the team’s first visit to support inmates, Sarah said some men came into the room cautiously to learn more about who the StandBy workers were but did not sit down for a full support session.
That changed after one inmate later asked to speak with the team, then word-of-mouth encouraged others to come forward. Wellbeing professionals at the prison were also very encouraging of inmates and feedback from everyone afterwards has been very positive.
Sarah said StandBy helps people understand why suicide grief can feel so intense, reassures them that their reactions are normal, and talks through practical ways to cope.
“We help people understand what they’re going through, why they might be feeling that way, and what can help.”
Support for inmates included individual sessions, listening to their personal experiences and helping them identify some of their own strengths and coping strategies, as well as offering some new ones.
Explaining how thoughts, feelings, trauma, grief or stress can affect someone, helps people understand what they are experiencing and allows them to feel validated and less alone in that experience.
Sarah said her team don’t try to have all the answers, “We focus on being present in the moment with the person and taking time to understand what they are going through.”
“We don’t talk a lot because we are there to listen without judgement and hear what that person needs.
“We are also listening for clues about what kinds of things have helped that person in the past. Perhaps it was a hobby or going to the gym. We help remind them of those things, where they have found little pockets of strength, or support, which have helped them cope previously and try to identify ways they can lean into that again.”
Correctional staff were also supported through tailored group sessions, information packs and the ‘What do I say? What do I do?’ workshop which covers topics including support approaches and best practice; crisis, trauma and grief; self-care; beliefs and values; and what makes suicide different.
The aim was to help staff feel more confident to recognise distress, start safe conversations, and connect people to appropriate help.
“Staff walk away with a better understanding of how to support people while also taking care of themselves.”
Sarah said the work showed how powerful it can be when someone is given time, safety and space to be heard.
“Some inmates have so much trauma, have gone down difficult roads in life because they didn’t have the support they needed at some point in their lives.”
“If there’d been someone who had stepped in for them when they first needed it, and said, ‘It’s alright mate, I’ve got you’, what difference could that have made in their life?
“Us being there now, is having real results,” she said.
Sarah and Tess have since helped initiate an application to have the national StandBy number added to the Common Auto Dial List, a preset list of approved numbers on the Offender Telephone System used in NSW correctional facilities. If approved, inmates will automatically have access to dedicated suicide bereavement support without using one of their limited personal call list places.
StandBy is available 6am – 10pm seven days a week for people bereaved or impacted by suicide.
For support, call StandBy on 1300 727 247.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000.
For 24/7 crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
StandBy – An initiative of Youturn jointly funded by the Australian Commonwealth, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland and Victorian Governments.
